Golmond gets the start as Norfolk State opens MEAC play at South Carolina State
The Spartans take their takeaway-driven defense to Orangeburg against the two-time defending conference champion.
Norfolk State will put its 4-3 start to a tougher conference test Saturday when it visits South Carolina State for the teams’ MEAC opener. The Bulldogs are 5-2, and their homecoming game gives the Spartans an immediate chance to measure themselves against the league’s two-time defending champion.
Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. Eastern on October 24 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg, South Carolina. ESPN+ will carry the game, with Norfolk State radio coverage on WNSB 91.1 FM. Official schedule
Golmond keeps the job
Michael Vick has selected Da’Jean Golmond to start, according to Norfolk State’s Friday preview. The school reports that Deljay Bailey has returned from a shoulder injury and will be available as the backup. That leaves Golmond with the first opportunity to establish the offense, rather than a guarantee that only one quarterback will play. Norfolk State’s matchup report
The freshman recently joined the Jerry Rice Award watch list. Through seven games, he has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 774 yards, six touchdowns and one interception, while adding 157 rushing yards. His ability to move without giving away possessions is worth watching against South Carolina State’s defensive front. Golmond’s season update
Can the defense create another short field?
Norfolk State’s 62-0 win over Virginia-Lynchburg on October 10 included six takeaways and four touchdowns from defense and special teams. The Spartans also ran for 299 yards. That combination let them score without requiring every possession to become a long offensive drive. Official Virginia-Lynchburg recap
Both teams had last weekend off, but South Carolina State enters on a different trajectory. After winning its first five games, it lost 34-31 to The Citadel and 49-39 at Charleston Southern. Those nonconference defeats did not change the Bulldogs’ clean slate in the MEAC. South Carolina State’s results
The central matchup is on the ground. Norfolk State’s Jalyn Daniels has 610 rushing yards, while South Carolina State’s Mason Pickett-Hicks has 741. The Spartans will need productive early downs to keep Golmond from facing predictable passing situations. Defensively, limiting the Bulldogs’ rushing gains would create more chances for a secondary credited with 11 interceptions entering the weekend. Official matchup statistics
For Norfolk State, the opportunity is substantial: turn the disruptive plays that shaped its nonconference wins into a winning formula against the conference champion.